Clamping mechanism.



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29m/erwten' UTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE."

RALPH R. OSGOOD, OF TROY, NEV YORK.

CLAMPING IVIECHANISIVI.

SPEGEFXGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,074, dated December 31, 1901.

Application tiled October 30, 1901. Serial No. 80,541. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t n1/tty concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH R. OsGooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamping Mechanism ,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists ot' the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part ot' this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts iu the several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved clamping mechanism applied to the spud of a dredging-machine or the like, the body of the dredge being broken away. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the spud being shown in cross-section. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section of the same, taken on the broken line 4 4 in Fig. 3.

The object of myinvention is to control the movement of a sliding or reciprocatory member, such as an anchoring-Spud as commonly used on dredging-machines.

Referring to the drawings, l represents the body of the dredge or Jthe like, having the well or slideway 2, adapted to receive the spud 3, reciprocatory therethrough, and guide the same inits reciprocating movements. 1 have shown no means for raising and lowering the spud, as any of the known devices used for that purpose may be employed. The reciprocating movements of the spud are regulated and controlled by means of clamping mechanism supported in the upright standardse, erected from the deck of the dredge. I employ four clamping members 5, 6, 7, and 8, engageable in pairs with opposite sides of the spud, the members 5 and 6, comprising the upper pair, being oppositely disposed in the same horizontal plane, while the members 7 and 8, comprising the lower pair, are oppositely disposed in the same horizontal plane with each other. These clamp members are interconnected by means of the diagonal links 9, the members of each pair with those of the other pair, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The members 5 and 7 are provided with journals 10, mounted in the enlarged bearing-apertures l1 in the respective standards 4 on one side of the spud, while each ot' the other clamp members 6 and 8 is mounted upon an eccentric 12, having end journals 13, mounted in the respective enlarged bearing-apertures lat in the respective standards ou the other side of the spud. The journals 10 and 13 of the upper pair of clamp members rest by gravity in the bottoms ofthe upper bearing-apertures 11 and 14, respectively, while the journals of thelowerpairofclampmembersareyieldingly supported in the upper end of their respective apertures by means of the coil-springs 15. The bearing-apertures are so enlarged as to permit the upper pair ot' journals to be moved upwardly and the lower pair to be moved downwardly, as well as to permit the members of each pair to be moved toward each other. The clamp members can be forced into engagement with the opposite sides of the Spud by operating the eccentrics, as by means of the handles 16, connected therewith, and when so in engagement one pair of clamp members will move in unison with the spud, while the other pair is supported in opposition to such movement by engagement with the end walls of the bearingapertures ofthe standards. Thus if the spud is moving downwardly the lower pair of clamp members will move downwardlyin unison therewith, while the upper pair are stopped by engagement of their journals with the bottoms of the upper bearing-apertures in the standards. On the other hand if the spud is moved upwardly the upper pair of clamp members will move in unison therewith, while the lower pair are stopped by engagement of their journals with the top walls of the lower bearing-apertures. It will be seen that in either case the movement of one pair of clamp members in unison with the spud will through the diagonal links cause the other pair of clamp members to tightly engage the spud and that continued movement of the Spud will cause the same to be more and more tightly clamped until all movement is arrested. The clamps can be :released by operating the eccentrcs by means of the handles 1G.

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In the preferred construction shown in Fig. l I have. shown a horizontal link connection 18 between the journals of each pair of clamping members, said links having inwardly-elongated bearing-apertures 20 and being adapted to limit the movement of separation only of the connected journals. These horizontal links afford means for bringing the members of each pair of links into direct opposition with each other when the eccentrics are operated, so that it is possible to quickly and positively hold in engagement with the spud at will that pair of clamp members adapted to move in unison with the spud at any time. I am thus able to insure the prompt Working of the clamp, the initial working force being exerted through the horizontal links; but the elongated apertures 2O permit the journals of each pair of clamp members to approach each other to more tightly clamp the spud when the nal clamping force is applied through the diagonal links due to the movements of one pair of clamping members in unison with the spud. The horizontal links may, however, be omitted, if desired.

Any known mechanism may be employed for forcing into engagement with the spud at will that pair of clamping members adapted to move in unison with the spud.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lette-rs Patent, is

l. The combination with a sliding member; of a pair of clamps engageable therewith; means for supporting said clamps, one free to move in unison with the sliding member i in one direction, and the other in opposition to such movement;` and operating connections between said clamps whereby said movement of the one clamp induces a clamping operation of the opposed clamp,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a reciprocatory member;of a pair of clamps engageable therewith, respectively free to move in opposite directions invunison with the reciprocating moveme-nts of said reciprocatory member; means for supporting each clamp in opposition tothe movement of the other in unison with the reciprocatory member; and operating connections whereby a clamping operation of said clamps is induced by a movement of either clamp in unison with the reciprocatory member, substantially as described.

.3. The combination with a reciprocatory lmember; of four clamp members engageable` in pairs with opposite sides thereof, two of said members being oppositely disposed and capable of movement in unison with the reciprocatory member in one directionand the other two oppositely disposed and capable of movement in unison therewith in the opposite direction; means for supporting each pair of clamp members in opposition to the movement of the other pair in unison with the reciprocatory member; diagonal links interconnecting the clamp members of each pair with those of the other pair; and. means for forcing into engagement with the reciprocatory member either pair of clamp members at will, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a reciprocatory member; of four clamp members engageable Y.in pairs with opposite sides thereof, two` of said members being oppositely disposed and capable of movement in unison with the reciprocatory member in one direction and the other two oppositely disposed and capable of movement in unison therewith in the opposite direction; means for supporting each pair of clampv members in opposition to the movement of the other pair in unison with the reciprocatory member; diagonal links interconnecting the clamp members of each pair with those of the other pair; eccentric mechanism for operating one of each pair of clamp members; a link connection between the shaft of each eccentric mechanism and the oppositely-disposed clamp member adapted to limit their movement of separation only; and means for operating either eccentric at will, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a vertically-sliding member; of a clamp engageable therewith and positively supported against downward movement; a spring-supported clamp capable of downward movement in opposition to its spring-support; means for forcing said spring-supported clamp into engagement with said sliding member to move downwardly therewith; and connections whereby the downward movement of said spring-supported clamp induces operation of said other clamp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of October, 1901.

RALPH R. oseoon.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY.

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